Method of making drag links



-March 10, 1925. 1,529,040

' c. R. SHORT METHOD OF MAKING DRAG LINKS Filed Jan. 19, 1923 VV ilrlE: s s ITL/X EYFEEII' ferred form'of embodiment of the Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GHABDES B. SHORT, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGN'OR TO GENERAL MOTORS RESEARCH CORPORATION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

METHOD OF MAKING DRAG LINKS.

Application filed January 19, 1923. Serial No. 613,583.

To all whom it may GOTbOWL.

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. SHORT, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Dayton. county of Montgomery, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making Drag Links, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved method of manufacturing tubes having a varying diameter and has special reference to the tube ordinarily employed on automobile steering gears and known as drag links and steering tie rods. Such links are desired to be of tubular form for stiffness and lightness and enlarged tubular ends are also desirable within which are supported suitable spring sockets for theordinary ball and socket connection. A coiled compression spring ordinarily rests within the enlarged tubular end and the shoulder formed inside the tube bythe junction of the small and large portions" thereof forms a very convenient support for one end of the compression spring.

The main object of this invention is to provide a method of forming tubes of varying diameter in an eflicient and economic manner from a single piece of flat stock.

Another object is to formsuch tubes from pieces of flat stock having unifoi m width whereby waste of stock is eliminated with-.

out adversely affecting the strength of the finished article.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a prepresent invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a flat rectangular piece of stock forming the blank for an automobile drag link to be made according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan of a die with the flat stock sticking therein after the ends of the stock have been pressed out to increase the width thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of parts shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1 numeral 10 deslgnates the rectangular blank of stock with which this invention is carried out. 12 designates the die having the recess 13 of proper form to give the ends of the blank 10 .the desired shape when they are pressed or hammered down with sufficient force to spread them out to the desired width. In Fig. 2 the dotted lines 10 designate the blank stock before the spreading operation, and the dotted lines 11 represent the shape of the fiat stock just before the rolling operation. Therefore it is obvious that the ends 15 of the stock must be spread at least as far as dotted lines 11 of Fig. 2. It is preferable however to spread the ends beyond'the outline shown by the dotted lines 11 and then to trim off the irregular edges of the ends 15 to the desired dimensions after the blank is removed from the die. This spreading operation is preferably done with the metal hot, but if desired it may be done with the metal cold, depending on the metal used and the amount of spreading to 'be done.

The spreading of the ends 15 is preferably done by a swaging operation, however it may be done by any well known means.

The holes 20, of any desired form, are

punched in the blank after the spreading operation so that they will retain their shape. However, any holes which may be desired in the finished product in the smaller part of the tube may be punched in the blank either before or after the spreading operation.

After the blank of the form shown in Fig. 4 has been formed, it is rolled over and formed into the tubular shape indicated in Fig. 6, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art, after which the butt joint of the lateral edges is welded. A tube of varyin diameter is thus formed of a single piece 0 stock and in a very economical manner.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

\Vhat I claim is as follows:

1. The method of making a tubular link having enlarged ends from flat stock of metal of uniform width, which consists of pressing out the end portions of said stock to increase the width while decreasing the thickness thereof. trimming the lateral edges of said widened portions, rolling over the flat stock into tubular section having a butt joint. and then welding said joint.

2. The method of making a tubular link having enlarged ends from flat stock of metal of uniform width. which consists of pressing out the end portions of said stock to increase the width while decreasing the thickness thereof, trinnning the lateral edges of said widened portions, forming the flat stock into a tubular shape. then welding the lateral edges of said stock together.

3. The method of making a tubular link having enlarged ends from flatmstock of metal of uniform width. which consists of pressing out the end portions of said stock to increase the width while decreasing the thickness thereof. rolling over the flat stock into tubular section having a butt joint, and then welding said joint.

4. The method of making a tubular link having enlarged ends from flat stock of metal of uniform width. which consists of pressing out the end portions of said stock to increase the width while decreasing the thickness thereof, forming the flat stock into a tubular shape, and then weldingthe lateral edges of said stock together.

5. The method of making a tube having an end portion of enlarged diameter from flat stock of uniform width, comprising: pressing out the end portion of said stock to increase its width the desired extent, bending over the flat stock into a tubular form having the end portion of larger diam eter than the remaining portion, and then welding together the-lateral edges of said stock to form a tubehaving an enlarged tubular end.

6. The method of making a tube having an end portion of enlarged diameter from flat stock of uniform width, comprising: prexing out the end portion of said stock to increase its width the desired extent,

trimming off the irregular edges of the pressed out portion, bending over the Hat stock into a tubular form having the end portion of larger diameter than the remaining portion, and then welding together the lateral edges of said stock to form a tube having an enlarged tubular end.

7. The method of making a tube of varying diameter from flat stock of uniform width, comprising: pressing out portions of said stock to increase the width thereof at desired portions, rolling over the flat stock until the lateral edges thereof contact thereby forming a tube of varying section, and then welding together the contacting lateral edges.

8. The method of making a tube of varying diameter from flat stock of uniform width, comprising: pressing out portions of said stock to increasethe width thereof at desired portions. trimming off the irregular lateral edges of the pressed out portions, rolling over theflat stock until the lateral edges thereof contact thereby forming a tube of varying section. and then welding together the contacting lateral edges.

9. The method of making a tube of varying diameter and having a perforation in the wall thereof, comprising: pressing out portions of flat stock of uniform width to increase the width thereof at the desired portions, punching the perforation in the flat stock at the desired location, rolling over the flat stock until thelateral edges thereof contact thereby forming a tube of varying section, and then welding the lateral edges together.

19. The method of making a tube of var ing diameter and having a perforation in the wall thereof, comprisin pressing out portions of flat stock of uniform width to increase the width thereof at the desired portions. punching the perforation in the flat stock at the desired location, trimming off the irregularities due to the pressing operation, rolling over the flat stock unti the lateral edges thereof contact thereby forming a tube of varying section, and then welding the lateral edges together.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

v LES R. SHORT.

Witnessm: V

4 WALTER W. Rmnm,

WM- P. PASCO- 

